Sale of unripe potatoes leaves preservation at stake
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A potato field in Rangpur
Potatoes have been cultivated on more land than the target in Rangpur this season. Farmers are also excited about the bumper yield. But in the hope of more profit, many farmers are selling unripe potatoes in the market before they ripe properly. The authority expresses concerns about enough potato storage in the cold storage in the current season.
According to the Department of Agriculture, potato has been cultivated on 1 lakh 602 hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur region this year. Last year it covered 97,327 hectares land.
Potato has been cultivated on 53,930 hectares of land in Rangpur district alone, which is the highest in Rangpur region.
Potato farmer Limon Mia said, "The earlier potatoes can be harvested, the higher the price the farmers will get. So many people are selling unripe potatoes in the hope of making more profit.
Nazrul Islam, another potato farmer, said, "Last year, I sold potatoes at Tk 10 to 15 per kg. Later, the potatoes were bought at Tk 50 per kg. This time I am selling potatoes for Tk 30 in the field. Because of that, I am selling them out though they are a little immature.
Rabiul Mollah, a potato farmer in the area, said the price of potatoes is good this year. However, the cost has increased compared to last time. Still, he said, there will be profits.
Amanullah, the owner of a potato cold storage, said that the way unripe potatoes are being harvested, potatoes will not be available for storage in the cold storage. He thinks that if potatoes are not kept in cold storage, the price of potatoes will increase further during the later part of the year.
Riaz Uddin, deputy director of Rangpur District Agriculture Extension Department, said farmers in many places of Rangpur are harvesting immature potatoes in the hope of making a profit. But we are trying to convince them not to do so.
He said Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has developed several high-yielding varieties to increase potato production. If high-yielding varieties of potatoes are cultivated scientifically, the yield will increase and the production cost will also be reduced.
Riaz Uddin believes that the average yield of potatoes per hectare in Bangladesh is 11 tons, which can be increased to 20 tons.
More Rohingyas' entering Bangladesh feared
More Rohingyas may enter Bangladesh after a massive clash between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar (junta) army in the village of Phumali in Buchidong, Myanmar's Rakhine State, bordering Bangladesh. Law and order forces fear that such a clash might force many Rohingyas to choose Bangladesh for shelter again.
The clashes broke out in the early hours of Friday (January 26) in Buchidong of Arakan province.
It is known that the Arakan Army took shelter in Phumali village during a clash with Myanmar Army's LIB 551. At that time, heavy weapons including artillery fire from the base of the Myanmar army caused casualties. It is feared that more than a hundred Rohingyas have been killed in this attack. The death toll may rise, with the injured being admitted to Buchidong Hospital.
According to law enforcement sources, the Rohingyas are running from one place to another in Myanmar in search of safe shelter due to the attacks.
Narin Jara, A Myanmar media outlet, reported that thousands of people are leaving Rakhine stare due to fears of more fighting between the Arakan Army and the Junta forces. It is believed that these Rohingyas may try to enter Bangladesh.
Last Wednesday, a town in Rakhine was captured by the Arakan Army. After that, heavy firing started in the surrounding villages, according to sources in the media Irabati.
Irabati also said that 41 injured Rohingya have been taken to Maungdoo Hospital by ambulance by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Most of them are in critical condition. They don't even have money for treatment. One person already died in the hospital.
According to the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Bangladesh provided a list of 882,000 Rohingyas to be repatriated to Myanmar in 2018 after the Rohingya infiltration began on August 25, 2017. After verifying that list, Myanmar finalized a list of only 68 thousand Rohingya and sent it back to Bangladesh.
However, it is said that more than 11 lakh Rohingyas are currently staying in the country in various camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasanchar.
